Ech Cheliff

Chlef is the capital of Chlef Province, Algeria. Located in the north of Algeria, 200km west of the capital, Algiers, it was founded in 1843, as Orléansville, on the ruins of Roman Castellum Tingitanum. In 1962, it was renamed Al-Asnam. The present name, Chlef, which it bears since 1980, is derived from the name of the longest river in Algeria.It is home to the soccer club ASO Chlef, the Hassiba Ben Bouali university, and the ruins of the basilica of Reparatus, who was bishop of Castellum Tingitanum from 465 to 475. A corner of the flooring of the basilica contained a mosaic labyrinth, the oldest known example of Christian use of this motif.GeographyChlef lies in a valley at an elevation of 114m between two ranges of hills to the north and west. The city is surrounded by farmland; there are scattered trees both in the valley and on the hills.HistoryAncient Castellum TingitiiThe Roman citadel, Castellum Tingitanum, was a city of the Roman province of Mauretania Caesariensis. The site became known as Al-Asnam (Arabic for "sculptures") during the Umayyad Caliphate period. It covered an area of 600x and contained many statues.Former bishopricA Christian basilica dating back to the reign of the Emperor Constantine was discovered here, with an elaborate mosaic. This is the oldest church to be found in Africa The Bishop Felix (Italian: Felice), was among the Catholic prelates summoned to the Council of Carthage (484) by the Arian Vandal king Huneric before he was exciled. No other details are known about the ancient bishopric.